Mariken Adriaens (d. 1552)

Mariken (Marijtgen, Maritgen Adriaens), an Anabaptist martyr, was sentenced on 21 August 1552 at Leiden, Dutch province of South Holland, to be buried alive. When she was led to the place of execution she prayed, "Lord, strengthen us, who suffer for Thy Word, which few are willing to do. I am not worthy to suffer for Thy name; but, Lord, Thou shalt make me worthy." Mariken and three other martyrs, sentenced to death on the same day, are celebrated in the hymn "Eylaes ick mach wel suchten" (Alas, I must make complaint), written by the martyr Adriaen Cornelisz; this hymn is found (No. 18) in Lietboecxken van den Offer des Heeren and also in Nieu Liedenboeck of 1562. In this hymn Mariken is called a young woman. Van Braght'sMartyrs' Mirror erroneously gives 1550 as the year of her death. The martyr Mariken named in hymn No. 6 of the Lietboecxken van den Offer des Heeren is either identical with this martyr or with Mariken Jansdochter.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 495. Available online at: http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm.